There's one thing wrong with
The Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates
, and it's minor -- the promotional 12" mix of
"Adult Education"
is included in favor of the 7" version. This isn't a big deal and it doesn't mar what is the best overview of
Hall & Oates
'
RCA
years, the era when they became the biggest-selling duo in the history of
rock
. If the
Atlantic
years were more adventurous, dabbling in
folk
and
album rock
,
The Very Best of
demonstrates the virtues of consistency, since these
blue-eyed soul
songs rank among the very finest singles (and songs) of their time. And
weren't unadventurous, either, since they deftly blended elements of
new wave
contemporary soul
, and
soft rock
into their signature sound. Most impressively, smaller hits like
"Wait for Me"
and the splendid
"Did It in a Minute"
(easily one of the greatest songs they ever cut) more than hold their own alongside familiar items like
"Sara Smile,"
"You Make My Dreams,"
"Private Eyes,"
"Maneater."
may not have been hip, but they made addictive
soul-pop
that not only rocketed to the top of the charts but has stood the test of time as some of the best
pop
made during the early '80s. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine